Mobile device for transporting liquid substances

Abstract

A cylindrical tank supported on the frame of a vehicle for transporting a mixture of manure and a further liquid, usually water. To prevent the agglomeration of solid and semi-solid materials within the tank, guide members are provided to produce recirculating and swirling motions of the mixture within the tank as the result of normal movements of the vehicle while carrying the tank during travel, such motions being produced primarily by deceleration of the vehicle. The main guide member is supported in the tank so as to be inclined downwardly to the rear whereby when the vehicle stops, the liquid mixture tends to surge forward up the inclined guide member. A second guide member extending from the top of the tank downwardly at an inclination opposite to that of the first guide member and above same tends to prevent liquid mixture which has surged into the forward portion of the tank from sloshing to the rear in the upper part of the tank. The forward part of the first guide member is curved downwardly coinciding with the surface of the cylinder to guide the forward surged liquid under the first guide member. A hinge at the rear of the first guide member permits a portion of the first guide member to be rotated upwardly by the returning liquid, the rearmost part of the hinged portion being proximate a rear discharge valve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A mobile device for transporting a mixture of a liquid and further substances, said device comprising a tank, a frame supporting said tank, at least one guide member arranged in said tank at an acute angle to a horizontal plane, said angle opening to the front as viewed in the usual direction of movement of the device, said guide member cooperating with movement of the device during transportation for performing the function of preventing dissociation of the mixture of liquid and further substances in said tank, said guide member extending within said tank for only part of the height of said tank. 
     
     
       2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide member is formed by an at least substantially closed partition extending across said tank. 
     
     
       3. A device as claimed in claim 2 including pivot means connected to said guide member wherein at least a portion of said guide member is adapted to pivot about said pivot means with respect to a further portion of said guide member. 
     
     
       4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein, viewed in said direction of movement, said guide member is curved near its front in downward direction. 
     
     
       5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide member is curved through at least 180°. 
     
     
       6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said curved portion of said guide member substantially defines a cylindrical surface in substantial part. 
     
     
       7. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide member includes a foremost portion and a rearmost portion relative to its normal direction of movement and the foremost portion of said guide member is spaced a substantial distance above said tank bottom relative to the rearmost portion of said guide member. 
     
     
       8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein pivot means is provided in said rearmost portion of said guide member viewed in said direction of movement whereby said rearmost portion is pivotable relative to the remainder of said guide member. 
     
     
       9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein a stop is provided to limit the pivotal movement of said rearmost portion in a downward direction. 
     
     
       10. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said guide member extends substantially across the entire width of said tank. 
     
     
       11. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein a flow passage is provided between the lower portion of said guide member and the bottom of said tank. 
     
     
       12. A device as claimed in claim 11 wherein a further flow passage is provided between said guide member and the interior surface of said tank. 
     
     
       13. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least the major portion of said guide member is in a fixed position relative to said tank. 
     
     
       14. A device as claimed in claim 13 wherein a second guide member is disposed above said first mentioned guide member and so located whereby said second guide member cooperates with the first mentioned guide member to prevent dissociation of the mixture of liquid and further substances in said tank. 
     
     
       15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second guide member comprises a pivotable portion. 
     
     
       16. A device as claimed in claim 15 including a horizontal pivotal shaft wherein said pivotable portion of said second guide member turns about said horizontal pivotal shaft which is mounted in said tank to extend substantially transversely of said direction of movement. 
     
     
       17. A device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the turning movement of said pivotable portion of the second guide member about said pivotal shaft in downward direction is limited by contacting said first mentioned guide member. 
     
     
       18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said second guide member in its lowermost position joins said first mentioned guide member. 
     
     
       19. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second guide member is at an obtuse angle to a horizontal plane opening to the front, viewed in the direction of said movement, said horizontal plane intercepting a lower part of said second guide member and said obtuse angle being defined between said horizontal plane and that part of said second guide member extending above said horizontal plane. 
     
     
       20. A device as claimed in claim 19 wherein said first mentioned guide member and said second guide member are at an angle of about 80° relative to each other. 
     
     
       21. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein an auxiliary guide member is arranged beneath said first mentioned guide member. 
     
     
       22. A device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said auxiliary guide member extends parallel to at least the portion of said first mentioned guide member which is located above said auxiliary guide member. 
     
     
       23. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein a second guide member mounted at a bias in said tank joins said first mentioned guide member in the proximity of said curved portion. 
     
     
       24. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tank is cylindrical in shape and has completely closed walls. 
     
     
       25. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein an opening is defined between the interior wall of said tank and said guide member. 
     
     
       26. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein an outlet opening from said tank with means for closing same is provided in the rear of said tank which is located in the proximity of the rearmost portion of said guide member. 
     
     
       27. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein means is provided at the rear of said tank for spreading said mixture when it is discharged from said tank. 
     
     
       28. A mobile device for transporting liquid matter which comprises a frame; a tank supported on said frame; first and second liquid guide means mounted within said tank; said guide means both extending across the breadth of said tank; said first guide means being inclined upwardly in the direction of usual movement of the device from proximate the bottom of said tank to at least about the midheight of said tank, said first guide means extending substantially the length of said tank but being spaced from the forward wall thereof; said second guide means being disposed above said first guide means and being inclined downwardly in the direction of usual movement of the device from proximate the top of said tank to at least about the mid-height of said tank, whereby upon deceleration of the device the movement of liquid matter in said tank is guided initially forward above said first guide means and thereafter is influenced to flow rearwardly under said first guide means thus producing a recirculating motion of the liquid matter in said tank. 
     
     
       29. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said first guide means comprises a forward portion which is curved downwardly to provide guidance for the movement of said liquid matter from the forward part of said tank as a result of deceleration of said vehicle downwardly to under said first guide means. 
     
     
       30. A device as claimed in claim 28 including hinge means wherein said first guide means comprises a rearward portion which is hinged by said hinge means to the remainder of said first guide means whereby it pivots upwardly as a result of the flow of said liquid matter rearwardly relatively to said tank under said first guide means. 
     
     
       31. A device as claimed in claim 28 including hinge means wherein said second guide means comprises a lower portion which is hinged by said hinge means to the remainder of said second guide means and is arranged to pivot forwardly relative to said tank as a result of the flow of said liquid matter forwardly relative to said tank above said first guide means. 
     
     
       32. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said tank is cylindrical in shape and has a discharge outlet immediately to the rear of the rearmost portion of said first guide means. 
     
     
       33. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein a further guide means provided under said first guide means to guide said liquid matter flowing to the rear relative to said tank under said first guide means. 
     
     
       34. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein openings are provided proximate the edges of said first guide means for the flow of said liquid matter therethrough adjacent the walls of said tank. 
     
     
       35. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein means is provided at the rear of said tank for spreading said mixture when it is discharged from said tank. 
     
     
       36. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said second guide means comprises a lower portion which is hingably connected to the remainder of said second guide means by a transverse horizontal pivot member and is arranged to pivot forwardly relative to said tank as a result of the flow of said liquid matter forwardly relative to said tank above said first guide means. 
     
     
       37. A device as claimed in claim 36 wherein the turning movement of said pivotable portion of said second guide means in a downward direction is limited by stop means formed by said first guide means. 
     
     
       38. A device as claimed in claim 37 wherein said second guide means in its lowermost position joins said first guide means. 
     
     
       39. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said first guide means and said second guide means are at an angle of about 80° relative to each other. 
     
     
       40. A device as claimed in claim 28 wherein a further guide means is provided under said guide means to guide liquid material flowing to the rear relative to said tank under said first guide means. 
     
     
       41. A device as claimed in claim 40 wherein said further guide means extends parallel to at least the portion of said first guide means which is located above said further guide means. 
     
     
       42. A mobile device for transporting liquid matter which comprises a frame, a tank supported on said frame, liquid guide means mounted within said tank extending substantially across the width of said tank and being inclined in the direction of usual movement of the device from proximate the bottom of said tank to at least about the midheight of said tank, a flow passage being provided between the lower position of said guide means and the bottom of said tank, whereby upon deceleration of the device the movement of liquid matter in said tank is guided initially forward above said guide means thus producing a recirculating motion of the liquid matter in said tank. 
     
     
       43. A device as claimed in claim 42 wherein said guide means is formed by at least a substantially closed partition. 
     
     
       44. A device as claimed in claim 42 wherein said guide means comprises a rearward portion which is hingably connected to the remainder of said guide means by a horizontal pivot member whereby it pivots upwardly as a result of the flow of said liquid matter rearwardly relative to said tank under said first guide means. 
     
     
       45. A device as claimed in claim 44 wherein a stop is provided to limit the pivotal movement of said rearmost portion in a downward direction. 
     
     
       46. A device as claimed in claim 42 wherein openings are provided proximate the edges of said guide means for the flow of said liquid matter therethrough adjacent the walls of said tank. 
     
     
       47. A device as claimed in claim 42 wherein said guide means comprises a forward portion which is curved downwardly to provide guidance for the movement of said liquid matter from the forward part of said tank as a result of deceleration of said vehicle downwardly to under said guide means. 
     
     
       48. A device as claimed in claim 47 wherein said guide means is curved through at least 180°. 
     
     
       49. A device as claimed in claim 47 wherein a second guide means is mounted at a bias in said tank, said second second guide means joining said first mentioned guide means in the proximity of said curved portion. 
     
     
       50. A device as claimed in claim 42 wherein a second guide means is disposed above said first mentioned guide means and so located whereby said second guide means cooperates with said first mentioned guide means to prevent dissociation of the mixture of liquid and further substances in said tank.